I will never forget the fear and irrational thinking that happened to me shortly after the july 7/7 bombings in London and, prior to this, the IRA bombing in South Quay, Canary Wharf.
I clearly remember having this overwhelming feeling that the muslim faith was no longer just another religion with different views to my own belief system, but that muslims were out to kill us for not being like them. I spent the next few months after this incident hating the layout of my beloved underground train system, sitting next to the emergency exits on every bus and made it my sole duty to keep my eye on any type of bag/luggage/equipment that looked as if it could be detonated by a mobile device. It's better to be safe than sorry was my thought. I made concerted efforts to get off the train if someone who looked like a muslim wearing particular attire, beard and kufi, not to mention carrying a back-pack got on anywhere near me. I further took it upon myself to verbally challenge people on our London transport system to make sure that any unattended bag belonged to them. It was tiresome and left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I was certain that every muslim who saw me viewed me as an infidel and would have no hesitation in blowing my little butt up, shouting 'allahu akbar' all the way. I don't fear death but I do fear being mentally, physically and emotionally scarred.
Although I no longer think this way, the recent events involving Mohammed Merah, a French national, alleged to be a terrorist, has made me wonder once again. How can someone have no thought in deliberately killing innocent people for their own personal cause? How does someone strap a bomb to themselves with the sole intention of killing as many people as they can? How can they believe it is their God-given right to completely obliterate other human beings, just because they don't hold the same beliefs or values as themselves?
This brings me to a few real interesting points:
1. How far would you go in any given situation, in order to make a point?
2. If you're religious or have a cultural custom and was asked to do something that you didn't agree with, would you continue to believe in that system or would you blindly continue to obey?
I welcome your comments but please don't use this space to stigmatise muslims.
